Canada therefore enters the four-quarter of the World Junior Championship with 36 goals in five games against just… 4. It defeated the Czech Republic 3-0 on Saturday night in a relatively close match.
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The Canadiens took the lead by two goals in the first period against a faltering goaltender and a team initially determined not to lose.
The Czechs started to put a bit of pressure on their opponents in the second period, but never really threatened the Canadiens, much like a boxer in deficit in the account, but not bold enough to attempt the hard-hitting punch.
“I prefer a game like this where we had to work hard, where we were under pressure,” said Canada’s head coach André Tourigny. The players were frustrated on the bench. They wanted to provoke something, but it was not easy. “
“It’s good to have been through this. I’m repeating myself, but you’re always going to face adversity at World Juniors. I’m glad we got over it tonight. “
– André Tourigny, head coach of the Canadian team
The Czech nation produced Jaromir Jagr, Patrik Elias, Robert Lang, Milan Hejduk, Bobby Holik, Petr Nedved, Martin Straka, Tomas Plekanec, Roman Hamrlik, David Krejci, David Pastrnak, Jakub Voracek and company, but it did not win medal at the World Junior Championship since 2005. It won’t be this year either.
Canada has 20 first-round picks, but its main engine remains left-handed defenseman Bowen Byram, fourth overall in 2019. The young man flies over the competition with his mobility, his flair, his hands, his vision. He scored his team’s second goal.
The Avalanche got the chance to draft him thanks to the Ottawa Senators’ selection for Matt Duchene. Colorado already has two of the NHL’s most gifted young defensemen, Cale Makar and Samuel Girard. Who will be able to compete with them when this trio will have reached maturity?
Byram played nearly 25 minutes on Saturday, his partner Jamie Drysdale, a 2020 Anaheim Ducks first-round pick, 23 minutes. No other defender has played 20 minutes. This is to tell you the domination of this duo.
Byram assumed the title of captain against the Czech Republic. He alternates with Dylan Cozens, seventh overall pick in 2019 by Buffalo. Cozens scored Canada’s first goal and collected an assist on the second. He now has 13 points in 5 games.
Cozens plays on the wing in this tournament, but he can also occupy the position of center. The Sabers, already well off in young talented players with Jack Eichel and defender Rasmus Dahlin, are undoubtedly looking forward to welcoming him after the tournament …
The Canadian was represented by two players in this match. Defender Kaiden Guhle played another solid game. He’s nothing spectacular compared to Byram, but he made a few breakthroughs, was defensively efficient and robust to perfection, in just over 15 minutes of use.
Two opposing players winced after being victims of his checks. He amassed an assist on the team’s last goal in an empty net, his third point in five games. Guhle is the youngest defenseman in the Canadian squad. He will likely be one of the big stars next year.
The captain of the Czechs, Jan Mysak, belongs to the Canadian. He was drafted in the second round, at 48e rank, thanks to one of the Chicago Blackhawks’ two picks for Andrew Shaw.
Even though he is one of the youngest forwards on his team at 18, Mysak was still the big leader on Saturday.
The young man, classified in the first round by some observers, impresses with the maturity of his game. He has the speed, the hands, the vision, but he also remains very responsible in the three zones: always the first striker in withdrawal to support his defenders, he recovered many free pucks behind his net before relaunching the attack. He also won major faceoffs (overall rate of nearly 48%).
Barring an injury or a major surprise at the Canadiens camp in October, Mysak will be back at the World Championship next year. He will be even more dominant. A beautiful hope under the radar.
Since the Americans won late Saturday night, Canada will face Russia in the semifinals. This will be his biggest challenge of the tournament. The Russians, capable of both good and bad, struggled to defeat the Germans 2-1 earlier today.
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